ῥίζα

ῥίζα, ης, ἡ: Ion. nom. ῥίζη Hp. ap. Erot., acc. ῥίζην Marc.Sid. 89 (before a vowel), but ῥίζαν Il. 11.846 (whence Ion. nom. ῥίζα may be inferred):—A. root, Od. 10.304, 23.196, etc.; used as a medicine, Il. 11.846; ῥ. ἐλατήριος, of a purgative medicine, Hp. Epid. 5.34: mostly in pl., roots, Il. 12.134, Od. 12.435, etc.; δένδρεα μακρὰ αὐτῇσιν ῥίζησι Il. 9.542: hence 2. metaph., roots of the eye, Od. 9.390 (but ῥίζας ἐν ὄσσοις αἱματῶπας in E. HF 933 prob. bloodshot streaks); the roots or foundations of the earth, Hes. Op. 19; χθόνα . . αὐταῖς ῥ. πνεῦμα κραδαίνοι A. Pr. 1047 (anap.); ἰπούμενος ῥίζαισιν Αἰτναίαις ὕπο ib.367; of feathers, hair, etc., Pl. Phdr. 251b, Arist. HA 518b14; of the teeth, Id. GA 789a13; γαστρὸς ῥ. ὀμφαλός Id. HA 493a18, etc. 3. τὸν πόλεμον ἐκ ῥιζῶν ἀνῄρηκε ‘root and branch’, Plu. Pomp. 21, cf. Heraclid. Pont. ap. Ath. 12.523f; ἐκ ῥιζῶν ἀπώλεσεν LXX Jb. 31.12; cf. ῥιζόθεν, πρόρριζος. II. that from which anything springs as from a root, ῥίζαν ἀπείρου τρίταν a third continental foundation, of Libya, Pi. P. 9.8; ἀστέων ῥ., of Cyrene, as the root or original of the Cyrenaic Pentapolis, ib.4.15; root or stock from which a family springs, ῥ. σπέρματος Id. O. 2.46, cf. I. 8(7).61, A. Ag. 966, S. Aj. 1178, etc.; so, race, family, A. Th. 755 (lyr.), E. IT 610, OGI 383.31 (Nemrud Dagh, i B.C.), etc.; συκοφάντου . . σπέρμα καὶ ῥ. D. 25.48; sect, party, Jul. Gal. 106e; also ῥ. κακῶν E. Fr. 912.11 (anap.); ἀρχὴ καὶ ῥ. παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ Epicur. Fr. 409, cf. 1 Ep.Ti. 6.10; πηγὴ καὶ ῥ. καλοκἀγαθίας Plu. 2.4c; ἀρχαὶ καὶ ῥ. γῆς καὶ θαλάττης Arist. Mete. 353b1, etc.; cf. ῥίζωμα II. 2. base, foundation, ῥ. πάντων καὶ βάσις ἁ γᾶ ἐρήρεισται Ti. Locr.97e, cf. Pl. Ti. 81c; base of a vertical pillar, Procl. Hyp. 3.23; τῶν λόφων Onos. 10.6. 3. Math., root or base of a series, Anatolius ap.Theol.Ar. 9. (Aeol. βρίζα (q.v.): cf. Goth. waúrts, Lat. radix.)